


The Moment He Knew

by slytherdorphoenix



Series: Draco's Tooth-Rotting Love for Hermione Granger [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Good Draco Malfoy, Marriage Proposal, POV Draco Malfoy, Redeemed Draco Malfoy, Romantic Fluff, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Wedding Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:40:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27962417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slytherdorphoenix/pseuds/slytherdorphoenix
Summary: When did you know? They'd ask him.When did Draco Malfoy know he had fallen irrevocably in love with Hermione Jean Granger?The question took him on a trip down memory lane.
Relationships: Hermione Granger & Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy
Series: Draco's Tooth-Rotting Love for Hermione Granger [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2051013
Comments: 11
Kudos: 64





	The Moment He Knew

**Author's Note:**

> thinking about making this a little series but unsure right now. I really enjoyed writing this one because I simply adore fluffy Dramione stuff. Please leave comments as I am new to this so I'd love to receive constructive feedback.

When did you know? The question so many had asked him when news broke of their relationship.

Draco Malfoy’s thoughts drift off to recount all the ways in which his life became irrevocably intertwined with the life of one Hermione Jean Granger.

He recounts their re-introduction to one another first.

He remembers seeing her speak at his trial afront the Wizengamot.

_He deserves a second chance at a better life not to be thrown into Azkaban. He was and is just a boy._

He remembers those words and remembers feeling in awe at the ease with which she was able to defend him with. He remembers watching her fiery energy light up the Wizengamot as she fought for him. Him. He who watched her wraith about his drawing room floor. He who watched his Aunt Bella carve mudblood into her arm. He who bullied her as a child relentlessly.

He was simply in awe.

She was simply better than him in every way. She was no less than him because of her blood. She was his equal. No. She was more than he was worth.

He realized he wanted to ask her how she was able to defend him with such fire after all he had done and he knew the first thing he’d do is apologize as soon as he could find the opportunity.

Later on, when the trial concluded and Draco’s fate was that he would not be thrown to the dementors of Azkaban but would simply be under surveillance for some time before true freedom was granted. He rushed out to see where Granger was.

He saw her speaking with Potter animatedly.

He walked over to her and felt like a bundle of nerves as he approached.

Potter saw him first and gestured at Granger to look behind her. She spun around and looked at him inquisitively as if unsure as to why he was there. Potter decided to take his leave and gave Granger a hug before giving Malfoy a pointed stare.

“Malfoy.” She greeted him. “Congratulations on the freedom.”

“Could we talk?” He blurted out. His hands nervously tucked into the pockets of his pants. “Somewhere private perhaps?” He added.

“Sure.” She motioned him to follow her and he walked a step behind her down a few doors before stopping at a bench in a hallway with relatively minimal foot traffic. She gestured for him to sit with her.

“What did you want to talk about?” She asked him. Her head tilted slightly as if to outwardly display her curiosity.

Then suddenly it all came tumbling out of his mouth very ineloquently.

“I don’t know where to start. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I’m sorry I called you foul names in my youth like the bigotted fool I was. I’m sorry if I ever made you feel less than you are because you are not less than me you are more than I could ever aspire to. I’m sorry for watching you scream on my Manor floor. I’m sorry for not helping. I’m sorry for contributing to the wrong side in this war. I’m sorry for everything and I need you to know that.” He concluded his ineloquence with a sigh before running his hand through his hair.

He couldn’t muster the courage to look up at her but saw her hand reach for his gently; imploring him to look up to her.

“Draco.” She softly said. “I forgive you. You were a child molded by monsters and I do not hold that against you. I know you love your family and that's why you did it, I spoke to your mother before your trial. I do not hold you accountable for the grievances of a whole side of a war. I do not hold ill feelings towards you for something your Aunt did which you had no power to stop, not without you endangering yourself and your parents.”

“Could we - could you see us starting over?” He hesitated as if unsure of what to say. “Can I not be the boy who bullied you and watched you as you screamed on my home’s floor?”

She again gave him a soft smile before extending her hand to him.

“Hello, I’m Hermione Granger and you are?” She said with a whimsical grin.

He returned that whimsical grin because for the first time since his childhood, he truly did feel free and relieved of all the burden his father had put him under.

“Draco Malfoy. Pleased to meet you.” He replied.

That was their re-introduction to one another. The first page in the book of Draco and Hermione.

He remembered their developing relationship.  
They had been friends for a few months now due to them being one of the few who chose to return to Hogwarts to complete their education.

They shared a common room and private dormitories due to them being chosen as Head Boy and Head Girl. They obviously got close as the time drew on considering they lived together.

He’d often share his exotic sweets with her that his mother sent him from her travels. Narcissa had decided that the best place for her, after being declared innocent of any heinous war crimes, was away from Britain and she decided to traisp about the world instead.

She took it upon herself to introduce him to her muggle books and muggle contraptions such as the telly as she lovingly dubbed it.

They’d study together, read together, and spend most of their waking moments with one another.

He came to realize that he liked her. He loved so many parts of her as their friendship progressed.

He began to realize that he loved seeing her cute nose crinkle up in disgust when she tried one of his less savory treats. He loved seeing her fiery eyes as they bickered over books and studies. He loved seeing her curls splayed out on their couch when they both fell asleep watching a movie. He loved it the most when her smile seemed to split her face in two and especially when that smile was directed towards him.

Then one day, it was like she had beat him to the punchline. She crawled over to him on their couch in the middle of one of their movies and took his face into her hands before gently kissing him. His thoughts were running a million miles per minute before he returned her kiss and deepened it.

She breathlessly pulled away to look at his expression.

“Be mine?” He said.

“I’m yours.” She replied.

He took her into his arms and she tucked herself into the crooks of his body.

That was truly the first night where they weren’t just a Head Boy and a Head Girl as friends.

He remembered their relationship post graduating Hogwarts.

All the meals they had together. All the walks they went on. The birthdays and holidays spent together. The shock and wariness that her friends were in of him. Their eventual sharing of a flat together. Their many more movie nights with her tucked into his arms. His mother’s sheer glee that he was able to somehow get the Golden Girl to fall in love with him.

He remembered seeing her excitedly look at all books in his manor when she eventually felt comfortable enough to visit. He remembered the way in which the light came through one of the library windows and that it reflected off her curls giving her a glow as if she were an angel herself.

Her eyes were dancing with joy as she peered through her long lashes from the book she was reading up at him.

“I love you Hermione.” He blurted out.

She gave him the biggest smile he had ever seen before dropping her book and hurling her small self at him.

He caught her in his arms and she nuzzled at his nose with hers.

“Oh Draco, I love you too. I think I’ve loved you for quite some time now.” She said.

What a beautiful world it was where Hermione Jean Granger returned his sentiments of love. What a life it was worth living with her presence in his.

He remembered that beautiful Christmas Eve night where they were once again in the Manor Library having hot chocolate as she lazily paged through a book.

He set his hot chocolate down to the floor before he grabbed her hands into his to get her to stand up. The box in his pocket seemed to be weighing down on him the entirety of the evening and he needed to say it before he burst.

With her now standing, he kneeled one knee to the ground and took her hand into his once again.

Her beautiful doe eyes widened as she knew what was coming now.

He took the box from his pocket before launching into his spiel for her.

“Hermione Jean Granger. The fates and Merlin have blessed me with your beautiful soul in my life. I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve your love but I know that your love is all I want for the rest of my life. I love you so dearly and so fiercely with every inch of my soul. You are the most beautiful woman and beautiful person I will ever know. Marry me?” He said as he cracked open the box to reveal a beautiful thin gold ring adorned with a larger diamond in the center flanked by smaller red and green gems.

“YES. Yes. YES. Of course!” She exclaimed as he slipped the ring onto her finger before she pulled him up to embrace her. She held his face in his hands kissing him fervently.

That was one of the happiest moments of his life, he’d have to say if someone were to ask.

His thoughts recollected themselves because presently the music began as he saw his love drift down the aisle.

Cold silver eyes look up to meet her brown doe eyes.

Except in this moment, his cold silver eyes have a warm mirth to them as his eyes watch her gently give him a smile from the end of the aisle.

He can’t even help the twitch of his mouth as he feels he is the luckiest man in the world at this moment.

She looks enchanting. He thinks to himself.

She’s gliding down the aisle in a wedding gown that seems to only further accentuate her beauty.

When she finally reaches him at the altar, they turn to look at one another. Draco feels a wetness coating his face before he realizes that he’s crying. Hermione smiles at him reaching a hand out to brush his tears away.

“Gee, you’d think I’d get a smile out of you right now not tears” She joked quietly.

“These are undoubtedly happy tears, Hermione.” He replied.

He heard the man who was performing their soul-binding ceremony speak words but he heard nothing as he looked at her.

Hermione’s face was glowing with light makeup brushed on. Her cheeks had a beautiful blush to them that he adored. He could see the love she had for him in her expression as they spoke their soul-binding words to one another. He could feel the magic intertwining their souls as the ceremony concluded.

Their lips met in a kiss and in that moment, he felt more alive than he ever had.

When people had been asking him about the moment he knew he was irrevocably in love with Hermione Granger. He often had no simple response because there was no simple moment. It was a collection of memories that overwhelmed his heart. She snuck up on him and claimed every part of his soul. It was gradual but immense. The moment he knew was simply when he realized that if she were ever to leave him, she’d take his heart with her departure.

In this lifetime and in his next and his next, there’d never be a person who makes him as whole as Hermione Jean Granger.


End file.
